Emily Means
Licensed Marriage + Family Therapist #115449

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #10784

Individual Adult Therapy
Child Therapy (age 12+)
Group Therapy

San Francisco Office
Virtual

• Anxiety

• Self-Esteem + Personal Growth

• Identity Discovery and Development

• Life Transitions

• Stress + Burnout

• Creative Blocks

• Parenting/Caregiving

• Trauma

• Relationships

• Family Dynamics and Attachment Patterns

• LGBTQI-Affirming

• BIPOC-Affirming

• Bachelors in Secondary Education/ Drama Studies from Webster University, St Louis

• Masters in Counseling Psychology, Drama Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies

• Drama Therapy

• Play Therapy

• Motivational Interviewing

• Complex Case Management

I’m thrilled to work with anyone feeling called towards expanding what’s already working, identifying and addressing what’s not, and increasing their capacity for compassion with self and others along the way. I'm a particularly good match for clients who bring a willingness to think and act creatively, are process oriented, and have a sense of humor and a desire to play. 

My years of experience in community mental health settings lend me equal parts confidence and humility in serving diverse populations and addressing diverse needs. I have experience supporting clients managing depression, anxiety, life changes, self esteem and identity issues, relationship challenges, and career crossroads (to name just a few).

At core, I’m client centered and relational—which means I’ll bring an approach to counseling that is specific to you and the season you find yourself in. My goal is to establish authenticity and trust in our therapy sessions, a safe base from which you can get oriented, and then explore. I pride myself on being a lifelong learner and offer compassion and curiosity to my clients, as well as the occasional and intentional challenge. Though I'm well-versed as a talk therapist (and will happily leave you comfortable on the couch), my training in drama therapy means I'm also always ready with an invitation for embodied exploration and expression.

I draw from humanistic, psychodynamic, relational therapy traditions, and I view therapy through a systems oriented lens— I believe we are often wounded in relationship, and that we heal in relationship too. I aspire toward feminist, anti-racist, anti-ablest, and anti-ageist practices in order to maintain alignment with my personal values, and I take seriously my responsibility to monitor and manage power and privilege in this work.

My journey toward clinician-ship has been a long and winding one, beginning with a relocation to San Francisco from the Midwest in 2011 to pursue a career in theater arts and education. My several years of supporting students and teaching artists in immersive theater-making curriculum led me to a deeper understanding that my love for artmaking was akin to a love for facilitating personal healing through storytelling and self-expression. Luckily for me, a quick Google search confirmed that I had not, in fact, “invented” drama therapy, and I found my way into the Drama Therapy Masters program at CIIS. Since then, I’ve trained and worked in a wide range of environments, including hospitals, schools, community-based clinics, and more recently, private practice.

I’m grateful to have found a career that not only allows but asks me to bring creativity and openheartedness to my work every day. Being in a position to facilitate and witness clients’ evolution and expansion reinforces my deep belief in human resiliency and the power of individual and collective change.

Work/life balance is more important to me than ever, and I feel lucky to call San Francisco home. I’m a sun seeker, and am often exploring corners of Golden Gate Park, hiking local trails, or walking the beach. I have a regular yoga practice, a seasonal itch for pickleball, and am currently putting in the effort to learn to snowboard. I frequent local bookstores and coffee shops, and nerd out on crosswords puzzles and experimental baking projects. Though I love to attend live events— concerts, theater, dance, museum exhibitions, local art walks—I also have a very comfortable couch.